In August we reported that Frank Darabont, the acclaimed director behind The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and more recently, The Mist, was finalizing contract negotiations with AMC to write and direct a series adaptation of the zombie-survival comic, The Walking Dead. To the excitement of fans of the popular comic book series, a pilot has finally been greenlit!

The character-based series follows a Kentucky police officer and his family along with a bunch of other survivors who work together in resistance of the world that’s been overrun with zombies. Although a zombie-themed book, the stories of The Walking Dead are really about the people, their relationships and their development while trying to cope with this impossible situation which makes it ripe for the making for a serialized program.

While Darabont was negotiating with the network, AMC VP Joel Stillerman hinted that the show will follow the important elements of what makes the comic series stand-out as it does and confirmed that it will stay true to the source material and maintain the same tone of the books.

“This is not about zombies popping out of closets… This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances. The world (in ‘Walking Dead’) is portrayed in a smart, sophisticated way.”

Now that the deal is done and that a pilot for The Walking Dead is on the way, things are looking up and I am excited to see this in live-action. AMC’s Charlie Collier affirmed their confidence in those involved after greenlighting the project.

“Working with people like Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd is the right way in for us to deliver a project of distinction in this genre.”

Hurd works for Valhalla Motion Pictures and Darabont is producing alongside Robert Kirkman, co-creator and writer of the series.

Are you excited for The Walking Dead?

Source: Variety

Heroes’ New Cast Member

Ernie Hudson has signed onto the cast of NBC’s Heroes.

He’s joining the cast as a Baltimore detective, Captain Lubbock.  What little is known about Hudson’s role is that he’ll be looking for one of the other characters in the show.

Heroes 4th season will be introducing a new mythology about a traveling carnival, whose members have special powers.

This carnival will be run by a character portrayed by Rober Knepper. Oh great, Tea-Bag running a super powered carnival.  We’re definitely in trouble.

Source:  THR

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HBO Taking On Sci-Fi Programming?

Word on the street is saying that HBO is tinkering with the idea of bringing on some science fiction fare to add to their already exciting lineup of shows.

HBO has approached X-Files alum Frank Spotnitz about a medical thriller type show called Humanitas.  This idea takes place in a time where doctors can manipulate genes and create viruses, addressing various ethical dilemmas.

Spotnitz is also looking at adapting a novel titled The World Inside by Robert Silverberg.  It takes place in 2381 and humanity has exploded in numbers due to a culture of free love.  (Oh my, this already smells like HBO!)

Right now these are just ideas and nothing has been picked up, but it’s promising to the sci-fi genre that HBO is looking to expand in this direction.  It could really help gather new fans who might otherwise not give the genre another look.

Source:  io9

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Comic Books Being Adapted To TV

Along with AMC picking up The Walking Dead, NBC is looking to generate ratings in one form or another and though traditionally they’ve veered away from science fiction that might be too heady for their audience (or so they say), they have picked up a live-action adaptation of a Vertigo title – a supernatural based comic-book series titled Midnight, Mass.

Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts (Roswell, Pushing Daisies) are penning the project.

In a reflection of another, wildly popular supernatural themed show that’s premiered recently, this one is about a globe-trotting couple (husband and wife) who solve supernatural issues and crimes.

Sources:  Sci Fi Wire

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There Will Be A Season 3 Of Damages

There’s been a question posed by a Screen Rant reader as to if/when Damages will be coming back.

After some digging, I’ve found out that when FX picked up season two, they also ordered a third season.  Filming for the third season will begin in September and Damages will return in January 2010.

Source: FX, HitFix

Frank Darabont, the acclaimed director behind The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and more recently, The Mist, is finalizing a hefty contract with AMC to write and direct a series adaptation of the zombie-survival comic, The Walking Dead.

The character-based series follows a Kentucky police officer and his family along with a bunch of other survivors who work together in resistance of the world that’s been overrun with zombies. Although a zombie-themed book, the stories of The Walking Dead are really about the people, their relationships and their development while trying to cope with this impossible situation.

Joel Stillerman, a VP at AMC said that the project will keep true to the source material and maintain the same tone of the books.

“This is not about zombies popping out of closets… This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances. The world (in ‘Walking Dead’) is portrayed in a smart, sophisticated way.”

The successful Image comic series is written by Robert Kirkman and has been released monthly since its debut in 2003. It’s famously known for its visual style of being only black and white. Will the small screen adaptation of The Walking Dead go black and white?

What do you think of The Walking Dead going live-action with a series?

Source: Variety